Decision to Add F-35 Stealth Fighters Next Month

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Yang Nak-gyu, Military Specialist Reporter] The project to procure an additional 20 advanced stealth fighter jets F-35A is being promoted.

According to government officials on the 29th, on the 9th of this month, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration Committee (DAPAC) Defense Project Planning and Management Subcommittee reviewed and approved the basic strategy plan for the F-X (next-generation fighter) Phase 2 project.

Once the basic strategy plan is finalized at the DAPAC next month, approximately KRW 3.9 trillion will be invested from 2023 through the mid-to-late 2020s to procure about 20 F-35A aircraft.

The F-X Phase 2 project refers to the acquisition of high-performance fighter jets, which are core strike forces of the ‘Kill Chain’ concept, including preemptive strike capabilities, to respond to North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats.

In particular, an accident occurred in January this year where a 36-year-old F-5E fighter jet crashed, resulting in the death of the pilot, highlighting issues with aging fighter jets and potential gaps in Air Force capabilities. Even if the KF-21 (Korean Fighter) is successfully deployed in the future, without additional reinforcement, the retirement of aging F-4 and F-5 fighters will cause a shortage of 30 to 70 aircraft compared to the appropriate number between 2025 and 2031, and the Air Force is concerned that this capability gap will deepen over a long period.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.